Lock for the steering-posts of automobiles and the like.



' W. T. PLATT.

LOCK FOR THE STEERING POSTS 0F AUTOVOBILES AND THE LIKE.

APPUCAHON FILED AUG 28,1916.

1 79,902 Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

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* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

WILLIAM T. I'LATT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.-

LOCK FOR THE STEERING-POSTS 0F AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d S t, 24, 19 1 8,

Application filed August 28, 1916. Serial No. 117,251.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \ViLLIAM T. PLATT, a

.citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented-a certain new and useful Improvement in Looks for the Steering-Posts of Automobiles and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to" the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates generally to looks and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in looks for the steering-posts of automobiles and the like, the principal object of my present invention being to provide asimple and inexpensive lock Y especially adapted for use in connection with automobiles and the like to efficiently lock the steering-post thereof against actuation by unauthorized persons.

'With the above and other objects in view, my present invention resides in certain novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as will hereinafter I be described and afterward pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanyingdrawing, which illustrates my invention in preferred form,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view ofan automobile equipped with a steering-post lock embodying my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through thesteering-post on approximately the line 22, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the lock on approximately the line 3-3, Fig. 2, the key of the lock being in its seat and the steeiring-post being free to be rotarily actuate Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view through the lock on approximately the line 44, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the lock approximately similar to Fig. 3, the key of the lock, however, being removed from its seat and the steering-post being locked against actuation. I

Referring to the said drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, A represents a portion of the frame or chassis, and B the steering-post, of an automobile of any general or approved construction. Bolted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the frame or chassis A is a steering-post supporting-plate or hearing C, through which the steering-post loosely projects, as is usual, the frame or foot-boards thereof being suitably apertured, as at D, beneath plate C to freely accommodate the post B.

Keyed orotherwi'se rigidly fixed on post 7 B and located preferably directly beneath plate C, is a-cylindrical member or tumbler.

1, as I shall designate it.

2 indicates an approximately cylindrical casing or housing having an approximately cylindrical chamber 3 to neatly accommo date the tumbler 1, the housing or'casing 2 being Welded or otherwise rigidly fixed to,

and upon the under side of, plate C and inclosing or housing the tumbler 1, as seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, and being provided in its end wall 4 with a suitable aperture to freely accommodate the post B. Casing or housing 2 is provided preferably integrally with a lateral enlargement 5 cut away or slotted longitudinally to provide a keyway, as at 6, the plate C being provided with a suitable aperture, as at 7, registering with, and forming subst'antiallya part of, the keyway 6. V v V The tumbler 1 is provided longitudinally with a plurality or series of parallel pinways 8, each pin-way 8 extending from the V periphery'of the tumbler, a suitable distance inwardly and preferably to the post B, as seen in Figs. 3, 4, and 5'. Loosely fitting in the pin-ways 8 are locking-pins 9, "all preferably .of the same length; and interposed in the pin-ways 8 between the inner ends thereof and the inner ends of the pins 9, are coiled springs or the like 10,

under the normal tension of which the pins 9 i are adapted to project outwardly of their saidpin-ways 8. The springs 10 are of such length that, when under compression, the outer end-faces of the pins 9 will be approximately flush with the periphery of the tumbler 1.

Housing or casing 2 is also provided longitudinally with a corresponding plurality or series of parallel pin-ways 11, with which pin-ways 11 the pin-ways 8 of the tumbler 1 are adapted to register. Each pin-way 11 extends, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, through the side wall of the housing from said slot or key-way 6 to the surface of they wall of the housing-chamber 3. Loosely slidable in the pin-ways 11 are pins 12 of varying len h.

Adapted .to removably fit in the keyway 'quired in steering operations.

6, is a suitable key 13 provided longitudinally upon one side with a series of projections or elevations, as at 14:, of varying height to cooperate with the several respective pins 12 of varying length, the projections or elevations 14 being respectively of such height that, when the key 13 is inserted into its keyway 6, the several pins 12 will be forced such a distance inwardly that their inner end faces will be approximately flush with the surface of the wall of the housing-chamber 3.

Thus, inuse or operation, with key 13 in its seat, and it will be seen that the key may be conveniently inserted into its keyway by one seated in the automobile equipped with my new lock, the post B with tumbler 1 may be freely rotarily actuated as may be re- On key 13 being removed from its seat or keyway, however, as soon as the tumbler pinways 8 are on the rotary movement of post B and its tumbler 1, brought into registration with the housing or fixed pinways 11, the lock ing-pins 9, under the tension of their springs 10, will be projected into said fixed pinways 11 and the steering-"post B thereby locked against further rotary movement, the pins 12 being projected, in such movement of the locking-pins 9, into the positions thereof illustrated in Fig. 5. On key 13 being again inserted into its keyway ,6, the several pins 12 will be forced inwardly by the cooperating elevations 14 of the key and pins 9 correspondingly forced out of the pinways 11, when the post B and its tumbler 1 may again be freely rotarily actuated.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, I preferably provide the tumbler 1 with a plurality of such series of parallel pinways 8 and sprlngpressed pins 9, the several series being located preferably equidistantly apart around the ,tumbler 1 and each of such additional series of pins 9 being adapted as described to cooperate with the fixed pinways 11 and their pins 12, whereby, whenever it is desired to lock the post B against rotary movement, a

"relatively to the body of the car;

relatively short rotary movement thereof is required to bring one or the other of said series of pinways 8 into registration with the series of pinways 11, and whereby also the post B and the front Wheels (not shown) of the car .may be locked in various positlons My new look is comparatively simple the same to unlocking position. The pins.

12 being of varying length as described, and the length of each pin 12 being known only to the manufacturer or other authorized person, it will be evident that the production 7 of a suitable key to actuate the several unlocking pins 12 to innermost position is a matter if not impossible-of accomplishment, one of extreme difliculty.

The several parts of my new lock being preferably of some strong metal, it Will be evident that the same will withstand considerable hard usage without breakage.

I am aware that minor changes in the form, construction, arrangement, and, combination of the several parts of my new lock may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A lock for automobile steering-posts comprising, in combination with the automobile, its steering-post and dash, an open-end chambered casing fixed to and beneath theouter face of the dash, the dash providing a wall for and closing the open end of the casing, the dash and opposite end wall of the casing being apertured to accommodate the steeringpost, which is disposed axially of the casing, a tumbler disposed within the casing and keyed to the steering-post, the casing and tumbler having a plurality of locking-pin' WILLIAM T. PLATT. 

